Waltrip to attempt Daytona 500

by Guest Mon Feb 13, 2012 7:29 pm

Waltrip to attempt Daytona 500: Hillman Racing and Aaron's Inc. announced that two-time Daytona 500 champion Michael Waltrip will drive the #40 Aaron's Dream Machine Toyota in the 2012 Daytona 500 on Feb. 26. The race will mark Waltrip's 75th start at Daytona in one of NASCAR's top three touring series (Sprint Cup, Nationwide and Camping World trucks) the most of any driver. "Aaron's really does make your dreams come true," said Waltrip. "When I was a kid thinking about racing in Daytona I never dreamed I would start more NASCAR races there than anyone. That's amazing." He said it takes many factors for success. "You have to have a great sponsor to race and Aaron's has been a great sponsor for a long time." Waltrip said. "I appreciate what the folks at Hillman Racing including Joe Falk are putting together. Hopefully my experience at Daytona will help them get out of the gate strong with their new team." Daytona's 2012 Speedweeks promises to be busy for Waltrip. He'll race the #55 Aaron's Dream Machine Toyota in the Feb. 18 Budweiser Shootout, oversee his three Sprint Cup teams at Michael Waltrip Racing and host several top executives from corporate America attending the races with the team. Waltrip will also continue his television work serving as a commentator for SPEED-TV's truck series broadcasts and begin his new role as an analyst for the Fox NASCAR Sunday broadcasts joining his brother and Hall of Fame member Darrell Waltrip. Aaron's Chief Operating Officer Ken Butler said the chance to have Waltrip drive the #40 and Mark Martin drive MWR's #55 Aaron's Dream Machines in the Daytona 500 is too good of an opportunity to miss. Hillman Racing is making its NASCAR debut this season, but the organization is anything but new to the sport. Team owner Mike Hillman Sr. played a key role in the founding of Germain Racing [was listed as the owner of the #60 Toyota in 2011 fielded by Germain Racing] and was the architect of the group's two NASCAR championships in 2006 and 2010. Hillman acquired the championship-winning NASCAR Camping World Truck Series assets following the conclusion of the 2011 season and is set to embark as the owner and general manager of Hillman Racing for the 2012 season.
"I can't think of a better way to start off the season than to have Michael Waltrip behind the wheel of our car at Daytona," said Hillman, who credits longtime friend and co-owner Joe Falk [was the owner of the #50 in 2011] for the inclusion of the Cup program under the Hillman Racing banner. "I've been in this sport a long time, but I've never been so excited to go to Daytona. To have two Daytona 500 champions at the start of the season with Ward Burton in the truck and Michael in the Cup car positions Hillman Racing for a strong debut and a chance to win both races."(MWR)(2-13-2012)

No need to get so excited, gentlemen, I know you're pleased and all...

by **Ben Atkins** Mon Feb 13, 2012 7:30 pm

by navycook75 Mon Feb 13, 2012 7:33 pm

by PackerMan71 Mon Feb 13, 2012 7:49 pm

by navycook75 Mon Feb 13, 2012 8:18 pm

http://www.nascar.com/news/120213/mwaltrip-daytona-500-hillman-racing/index.html

putting this here...no need to thank me, just telling everybody about the greatest NASCAR driver ever is to....

ah who the hell am I kidding, he needs to stop trying......

by Alta Mon Feb 13, 2012 8:28 pm

by Sparkz47 Mon Feb 13, 2012 8:34 pm

Meh. Hope he stays out of the way, but it's really not a huge deal to me. If he manages not to cause a 30 car crash by lap 20, then I think we should be good.

by RealRacer4 Mon Feb 13, 2012 8:43 pm

This also applies to NASCAR Hall of Shame.

by Guest Mon Feb 13, 2012 9:33 pm

It's good to be the only Waltrip fan (that I know of) on the forum.

by f1fan12 Mon Feb 13, 2012 9:43 pm

vbooy57 wrote:It's good to be the only Waltrip fan (that I know of) on the forum.

by Guest Tue Feb 14, 2012 4:12 pm

f1fan12 wrote:
vbooy57 wrote:It's good to be the only Waltrip fan (that I know of) on the forum.

Exactly!

by Sparkz47 Tue Feb 14, 2012 4:19 pm

vbooy57 wrote:It's good to be the only Waltrip fan (that I know of) on the forum.

I like him well enough, and you don't win two Daytona 500 without SOME proficiency behind the wheel, but his crashes and misfortune sort of outweigh his accomplishments, which I think is why he's fallen out of favor with many *coughEFRcough* fans.

by **Cynon** Tue Feb 14, 2012 6:30 pm

Sparkz47 wrote:
vbooy57 wrote:It's good to be the only Waltrip fan (that I know of) on the forum.

I like him well enough, and you don't win two Daytona 500 without SOME proficiency behind the wheel, but his crashes and misfortune sort of outweigh his accomplishments, which I think is why he's fallen out of favor with many *coughEFRcough* fans.

Crashes... mostly his own fault. I can't recall Michael Waltrip wrecking someone and it not being his fault.

Misfortune... hardly. He's probably one of the more fortunate drivers in NASCAR, because he was pretty crap throughout the 1990s and would always rage about things that weren't his fault. He's totally not the guy who chopped Lake Speed at Michigan (my first ever NASCAR race I attended, and in hindsight it was reckless stupidity) and then punched Speed after the race when he had no right to do so.

Yes, you can win two Daytona 500s without some proficiency behind the wheel, this isn't Indycar we're talking about (I'll save a Brian Barnhart rant for another time). Of all the NASCAR drivers that have been labelled as "good at superspeedways", most if not all of them have demonstrated enough talent at other types of tracks to justify their place in the sport as good drivers. Sterling Marlin, Mike Wallace, Ernie Irvan, etc. showed that they were legitimately good at other tracks. Waltrip's 2001 500 win was because Big E kept blocking the cars behind like hell and his 2003 win was about as big of a fluke as you can get. If he didn't win the 2001 Daytona 500 I'd be amazed if he kept the win after the DRS activated on his truck last year...

If you told me in 1998 that Michael Waltrip was a talented driver I'd have asked you what drugs you were taking. When DEI shot themselves in the foot by giving all of Dale Jr.'s stuff to Waltrip and all of Waltrip's to Dale Jr., Waltrip still did not run well, Junior was brought down to his level... and this was at a time that Dale Jr.'s cars were regular top ten cars...

If you're a crap driver, that's one thing. If you're a crap driver that constantly makes himself appear like he's a champion, complains and moans when something doesn't go his way, then follows his driving career up with obnoxious, cartoonish commentary... that's quite another. In short, he's the biggest piece of shit to ever drive a race car.

by f1fan12 Tue Feb 14, 2012 6:44 pm

Everything Cy said, Waltrips Truck Commentary is annoying, but he isn't as bad as Darrell.

by PKligBKFan Tue Feb 14, 2012 6:46 pm

vbooy57 wrote:It's good to be the only Waltrip fan (that I know of) on the forum.

Oh you aren't the only one, I am too.

by navycook75 Tue Feb 14, 2012 8:23 pm

Cynon wrote:
Sparkz47 wrote:
vbooy57 wrote:It's good to be the only Waltrip fan (that I know of) on the forum.

I like him well enough, and you don't win two Daytona 500 without SOME proficiency behind the wheel, but his crashes and misfortune sort of outweigh his accomplishments, which I think is why he's fallen out of favor with many *coughEFRcough* fans.

Crashes... mostly his own fault. I can't recall Michael Waltrip wrecking someone and it not being his fault.

Misfortune... hardly. He's probably one of the more fortunate drivers in NASCAR, because he was pretty crap throughout the 1990s and would always rage about things that weren't his fault. He's totally not the guy who chopped Lake Speed at Michigan (my first ever NASCAR race I attended, and in hindsight it was reckless stupidity) and then punched Speed after the race when he had no right to do so.

Yes, you can win two Daytona 500s without some proficiency behind the wheel, this isn't Indycar we're talking about (I'll save a Brian Barnhart rant for another time). Of all the NASCAR drivers that have been labelled as "good at superspeedways", most if not all of them have demonstrated enough talent at other types of tracks to justify their place in the sport as good drivers. Sterling Marlin, Mike Wallace, Ernie Irvan, etc. showed that they were legitimately good at other tracks. Waltrip's 2001 500 win was because Big E kept blocking the cars behind like hell and his 2003 win was about as big of a fluke as you can get. If he didn't win the 2001 Daytona 500 I'd be amazed if he kept the win after the DRS activated on his truck last year...

If you told me in 1998 that Michael Waltrip was a talented driver I'd have asked you what drugs you were taking. When DEI shot themselves in the foot by giving all of Dale Jr.'s stuff to Waltrip and all of Waltrip's to Dale Jr., Waltrip still did not run well, Junior was brought down to his level... and this was at a time that Dale Jr.'s cars were regular top ten cars...

If you're a crap driver, that's one thing. If you're a crap driver that constantly makes himself appear like he's a champion, complains and moans when something doesn't go his way, then follows his driving career up with obnoxious, cartoonish commentary... that's quite another.

two of his wins (2001 Daytona 500 and 2003 EA Sports 500) had Jr behind him....and his other 2 wins (2003 Daytona 500 and 2002 Pepsi 400) was won by rain and under caution. I also was there for the Pepsi 400 (which was also my first NASCAR race...) and not one person was happy that Waltrip won.

oh and his 1996 Winston win was by luck....

by **Cynon** Tue Feb 14, 2012 8:25 pm

The 1996 Winston win was because the Wood Brothers car was really good and all the cars faster than that were in the All Star race anyways.

by Mystrsyko Tue Feb 14, 2012 8:32 pm

Cynon wrote:In short, he's the biggest piece of shit to ever drive a race car.

Oh, i'm sure this can be debated, lol

by navycook75 Tue Feb 14, 2012 8:38 pm

Cynon wrote:The 1996 Winston win was because the Wood Brothers car was really good and all the cars faster than that were in the All Star race anyways.

ok...I'll give him that...

oh and I went and done some research just for the hell of it.....he almost won the 1991 Transouth 500 at Darlington, but other than that, yeah.....

by Guest Tue Feb 14, 2012 8:43 pm

navycook75 wrote:
Cynon wrote:The 1996 Winston win was because the Wood Brothers car was really good and all the cars faster than that were in the All Star race anyways.
ok...I'll give him that...

oh and I went and done some research just for the hell of it.....he almost won the 1991 Transouth 500 at Darlington, but other than that, yeah.....

I recall he finished 2nd in the Coca-Cola 600 to Jimmie Johnson...I remember watching that at 10 and seeing a big puff of smoke up front in the closing laps and I thought it was Johnson and Mikey won the Coke 600, but it was the lapped car of Kyle Petty. You can imagine my disappointment.

by pennst24 Tue Feb 14, 2012 9:14 pm

The only legitimate victory Mikey has, was won as an owner, Reutimann at Chicago.

by navycook75 Tue Feb 14, 2012 9:22 pm

pennst24 wrote:The only legitimate victory Mikey has, was won as an owner, Reutimann at Chicago.

Ryan Truex has won the K&N Pro Series East championship twice in MWR equipment.....

by Vincent Giacalone Tue Feb 14, 2012 11:07 pm

Cynon wrote:The 1996 Winston win was because the Wood Brothers car was really good and all the cars faster than that were in the All Star race anyways.

Was there another specific less-than stellar driver that did well in that car in that era? Otherwise I disagree.

by day500champ1 Tue Feb 14, 2012 11:13 pm

Nascarboy426 wrote:
Cynon wrote:The 1996 Winston win was because the Wood Brothers car was really good and all the cars faster than that were in the All Star race anyways.

Was there another specific less-than stellar driver that did well in that car in that era? Otherwise I disagree.

Well, Jarrett won with them at Michigan in '91, and Sadler at Bristol in '01, but other than that I can't think of any others other than Mikey's All Star in '96.

And I think in a way, we need Mikey. After all if he left, who would be left to do this?

by Sponsored content

Waltrip to attempt Daytona 500

Waltrip to attempt Daytona 500

Re: Waltrip to attempt Daytona 500

Re: Waltrip to attempt Daytona 500

Re: Waltrip to attempt Daytona 500

Re: Waltrip to attempt Daytona 500

Re: Waltrip to attempt Daytona 500

Re: Waltrip to attempt Daytona 500

Re: Waltrip to attempt Daytona 500

Re: Waltrip to attempt Daytona 500

Re: Waltrip to attempt Daytona 500

Re: Waltrip to attempt Daytona 500

Re: Waltrip to attempt Daytona 500

Re: Waltrip to attempt Daytona 500

Re: Waltrip to attempt Daytona 500

Re: Waltrip to attempt Daytona 500

Re: Waltrip to attempt Daytona 500

Re: Waltrip to attempt Daytona 500

Re: Waltrip to attempt Daytona 500

Re: Waltrip to attempt Daytona 500

Re: Waltrip to attempt Daytona 500

Re: Waltrip to attempt Daytona 500

Re: Waltrip to attempt Daytona 500

Re: Waltrip to attempt Daytona 500

Re: Waltrip to attempt Daytona 500

Re: Waltrip to attempt Daytona 500